Saturday, March 01, 2008

Welcome March, Welcome Change

Slayer of the winter, art thou here again?O welcome, thou that's bring'st the summer nigh!The bitter wind makes not thy victory vain,Nor will we mock thee for thy faint blue sky.Welcome, O March! whose kindly days and dryMake April ready for the throstle's song,Thou first redresser of the winter's wrong!

Yea, welcome March! and though I die ere June,Yet for the hope of life I give thee praise,Striving to swell the burden of the tuneThat even now I hear thy brown birds raise,Unmindful of the past or coming days;Who sing: 'Oh joy! a new year is begun:What happiness to look upon the sun!'

Ah, what begetteth all this storm of blissBut death himself, who crying solemnly,E'en from the heart of sweet Forgetfulness,Bids us 'Rejoice, lest pleasureless ye die,Within a little time must ye go by.Stretch forth your open hands, and while ye liveTake all the gifts that Death and Life may give.'

William Morris

MARCH by Emily Dickinson

Dear March, come in!How glad I am!I looked for you before.Put down your hat-You must have walked-How out of breath you are!Dear March, how are you?And the rest?Did you leave Nature well?Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,I have so much to tell.